Gases in mbtal



SHEET No. 105557 M8188 WJELLS Gli- SHEET N0- FURNAGE.

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J OSIAH W. ELLS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND S. M. KIER, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent N 105,557, dated July 19, 1870!; mutilated July 6, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING- AND BURNING- GASES IN METAL- LURG-IC .'FURNACES.

To all ywhom il may concern:

Bo it known that 1 Jesuit W. Enns, of Pittsburg, in the country of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have mad1 a new and usc-ful invention, having reference to Furnaces ot various kinds, and especially to that class (if-furnaces wherein infianunnhle gases are generated by the slowconibustion of carbonaceons fuel in one compartment, which are transmitted to a place designed l'or their combustion, through tubes arranged within chambers, and heated by the escaping products of said combustion on their way to the chimney, by which these gases are heated,and brought in contactwith currents ot'atmospheric air, also heated in a similar manner.

hitherto, in all furnaces ci' this character, the tubes used as gas-passages are placed in a chamber separate and distinct from that occupied by the air-supplying tubes, by which arrangement the body' of the outgoing heat or waste products of production is divided, and, consequently, much diminished in heating power, the greater portieri traveling through that part or chamber taken up hy the gas-tubes. For, as the gases come from the' generator 'quite hot., the temperature olthcse tubes increase, andthe flame eventually tends lo that directiomleaviug the air-tubes and their chamber comparatively cool. As these gases are wholly transmitted through one set of passages without any arrangement for changingthem to another, or cleansing them in case of obstruction, they, in-a short time, become clicked by a filamentous deposit ol' soot, or other forms of carbon, so'much so as to greatly iinpede the flow ot' gas, andseriously interfere with the proper working ofthe furnace.

lhe nature of my invention consists in arranging the gas and airtubes all within the space ol one chamber, so that the'wholc or undivided hody of the outgoing caloric and products of combustion will be distributed equally around and amongthem on its way to the chimney, by which arrangement all the tubes, those used for supplying air aswell asthose employed for the transmission of gases,will be heated uniln-mly and alike.

Another part of my invention consists in arranging the gas and air-tnbes within the heating-chamber in such a manner as that thc interior of the tubes may be examined at all times from the outside ot' the apparatus, and, if necessary, a certain amount ol at- ,inospheric air allowed to mingle with the gases on their way through the tubes, and as these tnhes are made in sections.

Another part of my invention consists in constructing each section with an enlarged end or bowl, into which is fitted the small end of the section next. it,`

and so arranging them within the heatingehamher as that the joints of one length ol' tubes will he opposite and rest against the solid portion between the joints of that arranged beside it, by which they tend to support one another, leaving intercepted spaces hetween the tubes, forming a tortnous or lahyrinthian passage through which the (laine and heated products of' combustion play while passing through the chambcr on their way to the chimney.

Another part ol' my invention consists in constructing the furnace with its several tubes, passages, and dalnpcrs so arranged with relation to eachother that, by changing the position ofthe dampers, the in going gases may he directed through the heating-chamber around the outside of the tubes, while the heated products of combustion will pass through them on their way to the chimney, or .1: cursa. By this means I a-rn enabled to burn out all deposits of soot, or other carbonaceons matter found in the tubes and chamber, as often as may he requisite to secure a perfect. operation of the furnace.

Another part of my invent-ion consists inthe peculiar construction ot' the gas-generator, which will be hereinafter fully described.

To enable others to nmlerstand, uralte, and use my improved furnace, l will proceed to describe its con-y struction and operation byrefercnce to the accompanying drawing, iuwhich Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the tube-heating chamber, passages for gas, air, and damper-chest. l

Figure 2 is a section on a horizontal plane through the valve-chambers and melting-furnace.

Figure 3 is a' transveisevertical section on a line through the center of the'ehimney, showingr the gas and tiamepassages at that en d ot' the heating-chamber, with their respective dampcrs, and view of the heating-tubes in cluster,

Figure 4 represents a portion oi' one of the gas or air-tubes, one parl; being in perspective and the other in longitiuiinal section.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section ot" the melting-chamber or pnddliiig-furnace.

Figure (i, transverse vertical section' ot' the saine.

Figure 7, longitudinal avertical section oi' the gasgenerutor. y

Haring in View the application of' my invention to a furnace for melting,y and refining of metals, or for other purposes where an intense heat is required, I construct my apparatus by making a long curved chamber, A, with transverse passages extending across each end. ln this chamber a series of highly refractory, or heut-sustaining tubes, constructed as hereinhclorc stated, is placed, and so arranged with relation to each other and their respective ilucs as that one ond of thc gas-taires B will enter and Acoiinn'unicate with the inside passage C at the `rear endet passage D and its walls to a space or small the chamber, while the other ends of said tubes will have intercourse with the'inside passage D at the opposite end of the chamber.

The other tube E being longer, one of their ends will project through the inner wall across the inside passage C, and through the division wall into the outside'passage I; while thc other ends of this set of tubes E will pass in like manner through the front chamber, G, closed by a door ou the outside.

Above the front passage D, and on top of the leading chamber, is a closed archway, forming a valvechest, H, through the bottoni of which are a couple. of drop-fines, IJ, one, J, extending'dowu directlyinto that part of the heating-chamber occupied by the body of tubes, the other into the front transverse passage-way D.

A damper, 11, made of lire-clay, or other refractory material, closes one of these tlues, and may, by means of the handle K, operated from the outside, be moved or shifted so as to open that and close the other.

Und'er this arch, nearer the chimney, (figs. 2 and 3,) and communicating therewith, but divided from the valve-chest H by a heavy wall, is another valve-chest,

2 L, similar in construction to the one just described,

'having within it two fines and a damper operated the same wa l; one of these tlues, M, leads'into a covered chamber, N, connected with the passage way D in front of the short tube B, the other entering in like manner the large heating-chamber A in the direction indicated by the dotted lines in fig. 2.`

The furnace D, or place designed for the combustion ofthe gases, is built at the side and near the end of the heating-chamber A furthest from the chimney At the extreme end-of this furnace are two inletfines; one, R', of them entering the utside passageway F, and the other, R",entering the inside passageway C through channels in the wall of that ,part of the heating-chamber, while at the vother end of the furnace is an exit-liuc, S, which leads, by several smaller lines T T` 'l T, under the bed of the meltingchamber, and thence downward into a channel, U, continuning into the body Vof the heating-chamber among the tubes.

a For the production of combustible gases, I construct a generator, (lig. 7,) which consists of a large fuelchamber lined with fire-brick, the bottom of which constitutes a bench, V, extending from the hack of the generator to about two-thirds of the distance toward the front.

Just below the edge of this bench at an angle of forty-live degrees, au apron, \V, com-l posed of fire-brick, resting upon an iron plate, X, so pivoted to the under side otl the bench as to admit of its being dropped to hangin a vertical liuc.

The front wall Y of this generator is sloped' downward and inward, so that its lower edge will nearly meet the apron W when raised to its proper height.

Above this slope, and near the top of the generator, is an opening, Z, furnished with a tightly fitting door a.

Between this door and thefhottoni of the front wall are several stehe-holes b, through which a poker may be introduced to stir the fire from time to time.

At the top, and near the back end of tlic generator, is placed a cast-iron hopper, zZ, provided with a nicelyfitting cover, e, and tiltingv bottom, f, while at the other end of the generator is placed an exit-pipe, g, for conveying the gases to the heating-chamber.

The operation of the entire apparatus is as follows:

After a fire has been kindled in the generator, such fuel as is necessary for the production of combustible V is suspended,

supply is added to that on the intervene between it and the top. As the fuel aceu-.

a portion of it slides down farmulates onthis bench, ward onto the inclined apron lV, support combustion entering the apron and front wall Y.

As the fuel on this becomes the air necessary to space between the impoverished, a fresh bench by means of the hopper, which soon becomes ignited. may then be lowered, and the decomposed fuel, ashes, elinkers, Ste., allowed to fall out.

The apron is then raised, and the live coals o n the bench drawn forward onto it, as before, by opening the A door l1. in the front wall, and introducing along iron Irake for this purpose, when additional fuel may besupplied, from time to time, through the hopper, as the circumstances of the case require.

' After the generator able degree by the fire within, the walls will radiate heat on the fresh fuel as it lies ou the bench, and thus cause a distillatorychange, by which the whole ofthe available hydrogen, together with a large percentage of the carbon, is expelled as volatile inflammable hydrocarbon gases.

As fast as the gaseous matter is eliminated from the fuel, it ascends through an opening, g, at one end of the generator, and escapes through -thc horizontal pipe m' to the heating apparatus, entering through the pipe m, directly above'the gas-valve u, which, being set as shown at ligs. 1 and 2, allows them to pass down the ilue I into the passage-way D, in front of the short tubes B, 'and through them to the transverse paissage-way C at the other end of the heatingchamber, and from thence, by a continuation of said passage-way, to the furnace or place designated for their combustion.

At the same time atmospheric air may be allowed to enter the front space G, and pass direct, in the same manner, through thel long tubes E, to the furnace, where the said aerial and gaseous currents mingle and are to be fired.

The heated volatile products, or spent gases resulting from the combustion of the said currents of gas and air, will flow out lof the furnace and into and down the opening or drop-nue S, through the small horizontal fines T, beneath the basin of the furnace, into a channel, U', leading into the main heating-chamber A, and, after circulatingv around the intricate winding passage-way among the tubes, the said spent products will be directed through a due, U, at the end of the ehanlberA, and up past the Haine-'valve z, into, and will escape by the chimney I.

As these heated product-s of combustion play around.

the tubes, they arc soon brought toawhite heat, and,

as the air and gases pass through them, much of that heat will be imparted to the two currents, so that,

when brought together in the furnace and fired, a

brilliant pure Haine and heat of very will be produced, which may he ing of steel, refining and puddling other purposes useful in the arts.

I have described the gases and air as passing through great intensity applied to the meltthe tubes on their way to the place designed for their l and the hot spent products of such oombustion passing through the chamber around the outcombustion,

side of said tubes.

Still, as these passages and tubes are liable to become clicked by an accumulation of soot and other forms of carbonaccous matter, it is of no slight iurnoriircc fl-.ar eine lnroiisiou `should be made for in- The apron W has been heated to a considcroppositev of iron, and various speetiug the interior of the tubes, and its removal at" any time without' a stoppage of the furnace, or in any Way aiecting the heat.

This I accomplish by having a series of holes, t t t, through the wall in front of the gas-tubes B, one hole for each tube, of a size andren a line corresponding therewith. Each hole t is tted with a plug, y, which may he readily removed for that purpose.

To burn out all deposits of soot and other matter that may accumulate in the gas-tubes and passages, I have so arranged the damper-s or valves that, by shift ing the valve n from the position it appears to occupy in drawing, gs. l and 2, to that indicated by the dotted lines in fie'. 1, and at the same time making a similar change iu the flame-valve z, but iu a reverse direction, the gases will be directed into the body of the heating-chamber around the outside of the tubes, while the llame and waste products arising from the combustion of those gases will flou' through them, and thus burn out particles of matter that may tend to obstruct them.

Should the operations of the furuaoe,'or any other cause, require that the inflammable gases, as they come from the generator, be kept out of the heatingchumher or tubes, this may he done by setting the gas-valve ln so as to correspond with that of' the llamevalve s, or vice tersa, by which the gases will he di rooted downward through an opening leading into the smoke-chameerN, and thence upvard through one of the outlet-dues into the chimney.

Having stated thenature-of my invention,

1. Arrangingthe gas and air-tubes all within the space of one chamber', sothat the whole or undivided body of the outgoing` lieatand products of combustion will be distributed'equallyaroimd and among them. on

its way to the chimney, by which all the tubes, those used for supplying air as well as those employed for the transmission of gases,`\vill he heated uniformly and alike, as herein described.-

2. yAriz nging the gas and air-tubes Within1 the heating-chamber, in such a manner as that one end of said tubes may be exposed, and their interior examined at all Vtimes. from the outside of the' apparatus, in-the manner described.

3. Arranging each section'forining the gas and airtubes with an enlarged end or bowl, into which is tted the small end of the section next it, and so arranging them within the heating-chamber as that theA i joints of one length of tubes will be opposite, and rest `against the solid part of that arranged besideit, by

which they tend to support one another, leaving intercepted spaces between the tubes, in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

4. The arrangement of the gas and air-heatiug chamber, with its several tubes, passages, and dampers, so arranged, with relation to each other, that?, by changing, the:position ot' gases maybe directed through the heating-chamber around the outside of the tubes, while the heated products of combustion will pass throughthem, or nice corsa, .in the manner and'for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. 3

5. 'lhe use,.in`the gas-generator, tig. 7, oi' the falling apron W, in combination with the bench V, oonstructed and operating substantially as hereiusct forth. l

` JOSIAH lV. ELLS.

Witnesses I J. B. W'HALEY, T. C, Kinn.l

the dampers, the iugoing 

